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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2024 15:35:32 GMT -5
Red Sox’ Alex Cora identifies issues with struggling reliever (6.55 ERA) Updated: Apr. 27, 2024, 3:34 p.m.|Published: Apr. 27, 2024, 3:20 p.m. Joely Rodriguez
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com BOSTON — Red Sox reliever Joely Rodriguez struggled again Friday, allowing three runs, three hits (including a 109.9 mph exit velocity double) and one walk in one inning against the Cubs. Boston lost 7-1.
The 32-year-old lefty has allowed eight earned runs in 11 innings (6.55 ERA). He has given up 15 hits and two walks while striking out 11. Opponents are batting .313 against him.
Manager Alex Cora pointed to two issues: strike-throwing and velocity. Despite only two walks and 67% strikes, Cora said deep counts and getting behind are issues.
“You saw it yesterday. 1-2 count and we ended up walking a lefty. And that’s his land,” Cora said.
Rodriguez was ahead 0-2 against Cubs left-handed hitter Mike Tauchman but eventually walked him on eight pitches to lead off the seventh inning.
“I think his stuff was a little bit better early on (this season). His sinker was good. But yesterday, he’ll admit it, it wasn’t a good one,” Cora said. “We’ve gotta throw strikes. And he has the ability to get righties out with that changeup. But if he falls behind, then where do we go? We have to be on top of the hitters. We have to be in advantage counts. We have to. And we haven’t been able to do that.”
Rodriguez has allowed 4.1 walks per nine innings in his career.
“If you look at his career, that’s been kind of like the red flag — strike throwing,” Cora said. “There’s a lot of deep counts. But I think stuff-wise, he was a little bit better in the past. Velocity-wise, I think the separation between the fastball and the changeup, that’s something that helped him. Right now, the velocity of the fastball is not up there. It’s not 92, 93. It’s 89, 90.”
Rodriguez’s sinker averaged 90.4 mph and his changeup averaged 85.8 mph Friday. His sinker has averaged 89.6 mph this year compared to just 92.7 mph in 2022.
“The changeup is still good but the separation is what makes it really good,” Cora said. “We’ve been pushing for this guy to throw strikes. If we can do that, he’ll be fine.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2024 18:02:18 GMT -5
Executive offers scouting report on newest member of Red Sox Published: Apr. 27, 2024, 6:31 p.m.
By Sean McAdam | sean.mcadam@masslive.com BOSTON — Searching for a replacement for injured first baseman Triston Casas, the Red Sox struck a deal with the Chicago Cubs Saturday, acquiring Garrett Cooper for cash considerations.
Cooper will presumably replace the struggling Bobby Dalbec as the Red Sox’ primary first baseman. Cooper, 33, has had an eight-year major league career with four previous teams: the New York Yankees, Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres and Cubs.
To make room for Cooper on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox transferred Casas to the 60-day IL.
Here’s what one longtime executive had to offer as a scouting report on Cooper:
“Well-intended payer, but overprotects himself physically, with a low threshold for pain. Mentally wears down if playing often...A bat-first player who loves to hit and this is where he competes....Good overall approach at the plate and will use the whole field to hit unselfishly and situationally...A dangerous hitter with RISP (runners in scoring position)...A good double-play guy for the opposition, as he doesn’t run particularly well...Doesn’t take enough pride in his defense, although first base is his favorite position and he can get by there...Could have always been better in the field than he was if he committed to working on it rather than being content to just get by....In 2023, showed signs of less leg speed and bat speed against better starting pitcher types and bullpen hard-throwers.
“The key for him is to continue the transition into being a good breaking ball/off-speed, which remains a work in progress....A good teammate, but not a leader, he’ll do what’s asked of him, but nothing above the norm...Kind of a happy-go-lucky guy....Has been over-exposed and somewhat overvalued for a few seasons now....The Red Sox could do worse, but he’s more of a complementary, three or four games a week player who you have to match up to get the best results from.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 28, 2024 5:07:33 GMT -5
Red Sox Acquire Garrett Cooper
By Mark Polishuk | April 27, 2024 at 10:58pm CDT
5:24pm: The deal is now official, as noted by Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. The Red Sox transferred Casas to the 60-day injured list to make room for Cooper on the 40-man roster.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 28, 2024 9:08:59 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier The Red Sox called up Naoyuki Uwasawa from the WooSox, designating Joely Rodriguez for assignment to clear the roster spot. 10:26 AM · Apr 28, 2024 · 15K Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 5:45:33 GMT -5
The banged-up Red Sox really have no business competing in the AL East, but here they are By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated April 28, 2024, 5:57 p.m.
One month into the season, the Red Sox are the Road Runner sprinting off a cliff yet defying gravity simply by refusing to look down.
They have no business possessing a 16-13 record. Everything has gone wrong.
The Red Sox signed Lucas Giolito to be the one constant in their rotation. He underwent season-ending surgery in spring training. The team needed Trevor Story to be an impact two-way player to elevate the offense and stabilize what proved a woeful defensive squad in 2023. He suffered a season-ending injury in the eighth game of the season.
The Sox surely would need Triston Casas and Rafael Devers to carry their lineup without Story. Yet Devers has already missed 11 games — more than he missed in four of the last five years — while Casas landed on the injured list last week and will be out until at least late June with torn cartilage in his ribcage.
Yet still, through a full month of games, there they stand, still within arm’s reach of first place in the American League East. And their position owes chiefly to a remarkable performance by a pitching staff that garnered considerable skepticism entering the year but that, through Sunday night’s 5-4 win over the Cubs, has been among the best in the game.
The Sox have a 2.68 team ERA — best in the big leagues, and the best mark by the franchise through 29 games since 1920.
Though Story has been sidelined, he’s remained locked into the team’s performances. And what he’s seen has amazed him.
“Obviously, we’ve been riding the pitching. In recent years, it’s been a little different, or in the years that I’ve been here,” said Story. “It’s been incredible. After all the doubts and all the things that we’ve dealt with the past couple of years, to come out like this and perform like we have, [the pitching] is night and day.”
Story is not alone in marveling at what’s transpired with the pitching staff. Evaluators from other teams have emerged from up-close views of the Sox staff praising the quality of execution they’ve seen, and noting the meaningful steps forward by numerous members of the staff.
The early performances by Kutter Crawford (1.35 ERA in 33⅓ innings, FanGraphs leader in WAR for pitchers) and Tanner Houck (1.60 ERA in 39⅓ innings after a brilliant outing Sunday) are the headliners. But those two have been far from alone in their excellence.
Through 29 games, 14 Red Sox pitchers have thrown at least eight innings. Of those, seven have a sub-2.00 ERA, and 11 have an ERA superior to the MLB average of 3.99. Virtually every one of those pitchers has performed above their career norms.
“I think showing results at the major league level in terms of improvement of guys who are already here, usually you expect that to be more gradual,” said Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer. “So the fact that like [chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and pitching coach Andrew Bailey] have gotten buy-in so quickly and guys have made real delivery and repertoire adjustments is really impressive.”
It’s premature to say that the Red Sox have solved the riddle of modern pitching. The fact that four of their top six starters entering spring training — Giolito, Nick Pivetta, Brayan Bello, and Garrett Whitlock — are on the injured list underscores the tenuousness of what they are doing.
Still, for now, the Sox have offered a glimpse of what long-term stability could look like if the past month is an indication of a more efficient and effective pitching infrastructure. The volatility of the Sox in recent years is largely a product of the inconsistency of their pitching staff.
In past years, a few injuries would lead to collapse that even elite lineups couldn’t overcome. The 2019 season —when the team had Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, and Devers all performing at All-Star levels, yet missed the playoffs when injuries wiped out starters Chris Sale, David Price, and Nate Eovaldi — stands out as a lesson in the inability of offense to propel teams that cannot achieve a critical mass of solid big league pitchers.
The Rays of the past several years, on the other hand, have offered repeated lessons in the notion that teams that consistently help pitchers (whether well-known or relatively anonymous) outperform their career tracks can compete. The Dodgers and Astros, meanwhile, have offered demonstrations of the incredible possibilities when such a pitching infrastructure is paired with elite position players. Related: Red Sox acquire first baseman/left fielder Garrett Cooper from Cubs
For now, the Sox have been short on the latter, most glaringly on April 21 in Pittsburgh, when they were without Story, Devers, Casas, and Tyler O’Neill. Yet thanks to a pitching staff that leads the majors in shutouts (5) and games with no more than one run allowed (9), they’ve remained competitive regardless of the players who have been in the lineup.
“From the beginning, we felt like if we could get [the pitching] on track, we truly would have a chance,” said Story. “Any time you can pitch like that, even if you’re down seven of the position player starters, you can still win the game. That’s what’s been pretty striking to me.”
For now, the development has been striking to everyone, and, at the least, has allowed the team to defy expectations of an injury-driven collapse through the initial stages of the season. Whether that remains the case as the quality of competition picks up in the summer remains to be seen, but for now, the Sox continue to run straight ahead — even if they are seemingly doing so without any ground beneath their feet.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 11:06:50 GMT -5
Red Sox Designate Pablo Reyes For Assignment
By Steve Adams | April 29, 2024 at 10:06am CDT
The Red Sox announced Monday morning that they’ve designated infielder Pablo Reyes for assignment. His spot on the roster will go to newly acquired first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper, whom the Sox added in a cash deal with the Cubs over the weekend.
Reyes has been with the Sox dating back to last season but is out to a brutal start at the plate, hitting just .183/.234/.217 with a 29.7% strikeout rate in his first 64 plate appearances. It’s a far cry from the .287/.339/.377 slash he posted through 185 trips to the plate with the ’23 Sox, when he punched out in only 11.4% of his turns at the plate. Reyes’ 19 strikeouts on the season are already just two fewer than the 21 he posted in nearly three times as much action last year.
The 30-year-old Reyes has appeared in parts of six big league seasons but never topped last year’s 185 plate appearances. He’s a lifetime .248/.309/.349 hitter in 572 plate appearances between the Pirates, Brewers and Sox. He’s played every position on the diamond with the exception of catcher, including a four-inning cameo on the mound. Reyes has drawn solid ratings at third base, in particular, though his versatility has in a way prevented him from picking up a meaningful sample at any single position; his 289 career frames at the hot corner are the most he’s tallied at any one spot.
Reyes is out of minor league options, so the Sox didn’t have the ability to simply send him down to Triple-A Worcester without first exposing him to waivers. They’ll have a week to trade Reyes, attempt to pass him through outright waivers or release him. He’s previously been outrighted in his career (twice, in fact), which gives him the right to reject a minor league assignment in the event that he does clear waivers.
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Post by Kimmi on Apr 29, 2024 15:14:10 GMT -5
Executive offers scouting report on newest member of Red SoxPublished: Apr. 27, 2024, 6:31 p.m. By Sean McAdam | sean.mcadam@masslive.com BOSTON — Searching for a replacement for injured first baseman Triston Casas, the Red Sox struck a deal with the Chicago Cubs Saturday, acquiring Garrett Cooper for cash considerations. Cooper will presumably replace the struggling Bobby Dalbec as the Red Sox’ primary first baseman. Cooper, 33, has had an eight-year major league career with four previous teams: the New York Yankees, Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres and Cubs. To make room for Cooper on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox transferred Casas to the 60-day IL. Here’s what one longtime executive had to offer as a scouting report on Cooper: “Well-intended payer, but overprotects himself physically, with a low threshold for pain. Mentally wears down if playing often...A bat-first player who loves to hit and this is where he competes....Good overall approach at the plate and will use the whole field to hit unselfishly and situationally...A dangerous hitter with RISP (runners in scoring position)...A good double-play guy for the opposition, as he doesn’t run particularly well...Doesn’t take enough pride in his defense, although first base is his favorite position and he can get by there...Could have always been better in the field than he was if he committed to working on it rather than being content to just get by....In 2023, showed signs of less leg speed and bat speed against better starting pitcher types and bullpen hard-throwers. “The key for him is to continue the transition into being a good breaking ball/off-speed, which remains a work in progress....A good teammate, but not a leader, he’ll do what’s asked of him, but nothing above the norm...Kind of a happy-go-lucky guy....Has been over-exposed and somewhat overvalued for a few seasons now....The Red Sox could do worse, but he’s more of a complementary, three or four games a week player who you have to match up to get the best results from.” Say what you will about Dalbec's struggles at the plate, but he's playing a pretty good defensive first base. I don't know much about Cooper, but based on this scouting report, it doesn't sound like he has the best attitude when it comes to playing hard or improving his defense. I guess we're getting an offensive upgrade at the expense of defense. The same might be true at 2B once Grissom gets healthy.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 19:34:32 GMT -5
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 19:42:50 GMT -5
It was a winding road, but Wilyer Abreu is now playing a critical role for the Red Sox By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated April 29, 2024, 3:42 p.m.
For two weeks, Wilyer Abreu’s fit with the Red Sox roster seemed uncertain.
With the team committed to Ceddanne Rafaela in center field and Jarren Duran and Tyler O’Neill in the corners, Abreu was largely bench-bound. He started just four of the first 12 games and struggled with the irregular playing time, going 2 for 18 with nine strikeouts. It was fair to wonder whether the 24-year-old might be better served to get regular at-bats in Triple A.
But circumstances — the need to move Rafaela to the infield and an injury to O’Neill — opened a role for Abreu. He has capitalized in a way that ensures he won’t be returning to the bench soon.
Over the team’s last 17 games, Abreu has played in 15, starting 14. He has hit .352/.419/.593 over that period, while recently going on a run of driving in runs in eight straight games — the longest such streak by a Red Sox player under the age of 25 since Ted Williams in 1942.
He also has played excellent defense in right field, most recently with a terrific running catch in the corner against the Cubs on Sunday night. And he has been a presence on the bases, swiping four.
“He checks all the boxes,” said Sox manager Alex Cora. “He’s a complete player and he’s a joy to watch. We’re going to keep rolling with him. He’s going to be playing a lot.”
While that might seem like a sudden reversal, it’s far from the most extreme one that Abreu has experienced with the organization.
Eight years ago, Abreu was supposed to be a Red Sox player. They had scouted him heavily out of Venezuela in the lead-up to the 2016-17 international amateur signing period. He’d demonstrated a wealth of skills — not only his hitting and outfield defense, but also his pitching arm.
“We had wanted him to be a two-way player then,” recalled Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero. “That was kind of a first for us; if we were able to sign him, we wanted him to go out and pitch and play the outfield.
“He was somebody that was one of our priority players to follow.” Related: The Red Sox really have no business competing in the AL East, but here they are.
Abreu believed his future was in the Red Sox organization.
“I was close to signing with the Red Sox,” Abreu said through translator Carlos Villoria-Benítez. “But with the things that happened at the time, I wasn’t able to.”
The “things that happened” were the Red Sox getting hit with penalties by MLB for signing five players to package deals in their 2015-16 class. Not only were the five declared free agents, but the Sox were prohibited from signing any players in 2016-17 — thus leaving Abreu without a baseball home.
He ended up signing with the Astros for a $300,000 bonus at the beginning of the 2017-18 signing period. Though he was skinny and physically immature, the Astros believed Abreu had a chance to be a good, well-rounded player. He has exceeded expectations.
“The combination of his defensive ability at a premium position, lefthanded contact bat, we thought he had a frame that could fill out where he could still maintain athleticism,” said Marlins assistant GM Oz Ocampo, who was a director of the Astros’ international scouting efforts when Abreu signed.
“But in terms of his development, the thing that separated him was his makeup, just his work ethic, his competitive fire, his learning ability, his aptitude. It’s just his desire to get better all the time.
“We thought that we had a really good player when we signed him, but he’s put so much work in terms of just optimizing his defense, becoming a better hitter, and then really working his butt off to get stronger and more physical, turning himself into the player that he is right now.”
Romero was happy for Abreu when he began his pro career, albeit disappointed that he hadn’t joined the Red Sox, and called to congratulate him.
“When you scout a kid for that long, you get to know him,” said Romero. “He’s a tremendous human being. He’s a great kid. We had a conversation about how, hey, baseball works in funny ways. Maybe one day you’ll see yourself in a Red Sox uniform.”
That vision came to fruition five years into Abreu’s career. After a modest start in which he hit just two homers in his first three seasons in the Astros organization, he made significant strides in 2020, despite the absence of a minor league season. Abreu added size and strength to his frame (he’s now 5 feet 10 inches and 215 pounds), and also made swing alterations to tap into that newfound strength by more consistently driving the ball in the air.
He had a strong 2021 campaign, hitting 16 homers with High A Asheville, then backed it up with an excellent start in 2022, hitting .249/.399/.459 with 15 homers in 89 games in Double A. That performance — atop the long history with him — led the Sox to target Abreu along with infielder Enmanuel Valdez when they dealt catcher Christian Vázquez to the Astros at the 2022 trade deadline.
“I got to call him when we traded for him,” said Romero. “It was a neat moment, and it goes to show how small the baseball world is. It’s funny how things work out sometimes, but I’m glad he’s here. He’s been super impressive.”
For Abreu, the trade provided an opportunity for him to call Fenway Park home — a dream delayed but not dissolved.
“Obviously I had that vision in 2016 when I was close to signing with the team,” said Abreu. “When I signed with the [Astros], I didn’t think it was going to be possible, but now, being able to play here on this field, with this team, makes me very happy. I just can’t wait to help this organization to win.”
Through the first month of the season — and particularly the most recent two weeks — Abreu has played an essential role in doing just that.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 30, 2024 17:47:27 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe Per #RedSox: LHP Bailey Horn purchased from White Sox and optioned to AAA.
Horn was DFA'd on Friday. He has no MLB experience. 26-year-old had a rough time in AAA this season.
10.1 IP, 14 H, 13 R, 13 ER, 10 BB, 15 K, 4 HR.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 1, 2024 5:46:23 GMT -5
Why MLB rules may complicate Vaughn Grissom’s (flu) timeline for Red Sox debut
Published: Apr. 30, 2024, 7:58 p.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON — Vaughn Grissom’s long-awaited Red Sox debut did not happen Tuesday as anticipated, and there’s a chance it’ll be a few days before it takes place.
Grissom has the flu and was not activated before Boston’s series opener against the Giants. He was away from Fenway Park battling symptoms. A few members of the roster at Triple-A Worcester, where Grissom has spent much of the last three weeks, are under the weather.
“I talked to him today,” said manager Alex Cora. “He doesn’t look great, doesn’t feel great. We’ve just got to be patient now and see where we’re at in a few days.”
Grissom, who has yet to play in the majors this season due to a left hamstring strain, was supposed to join the Red Sox on Tuesday after a nine-game rehab stint at Worcester that simulated his spring training. Boston will now go day-to-day with their projected starting second baseman while navigating some unique rules that may dictate the path forward.
Wednesday marks 20 days since Grissom joined the WooSox for his rehab assignment on April 2. MLB rules dictate that position players can only spend 20 days on rehab stints before teams must make a decision on them. Because of that, the flu-related setback comes at an awkward time for the Red Sox.
According to a major league source, Grissom’s situation is treated exactly like it would be if he suffered an injury while rehabbing. By the end of the day Wednesday, the Red Sox must either pull him back off his rehab assignment or activate him to the major league roster. If the club pulls him back, he won’t be eligible to restart a rehab assignment in the minors until Sunday (May 5) because of the rules. The Red Sox can still activate him at any time, regardless of what happens. For example, he could be returned (pulled back) from the rehab assignment Wednesday and activated Thursday or Friday. He just can’t play in the minors past Wednesday.
So if the club feels Grissom needs another minor league game or two before being activated, it could be a bit before he plays in the majors. He’s ineligible to play for the WooSox until Sunday unless the Red Sox option him, which would require him to stay in Triple-A for 10 days (a very unlikely outcome). To determine the path forward, the Red Sox will have to assess how Grissom feels in the coming days.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 1, 2024 5:48:11 GMT -5
How are the Red Sox good? Start with the pitching staff’s ‘insane’ April | Cotillo
Published: Apr. 30, 2024, 11:15 p.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON — Tuesday’s win to close out a strong April came in fitting fashion for the Red Sox, who, like they have for pretty much the entirety of the season’s first month, simply outpitched their opponents.
In a matchup that pitted last year’s National League Cy Young runner-up against a swingman making just his fifth career major league start, it was Boston’s Cooper Criswell who greatly exceeded the performance of San Francisco’s Logan Webb. Webb, the Giants’ ace, was ambushed by nine Red Sox hits and had his team trailing 4-0 when he departed after recording just 11 outs. Criswell, for the second straight start, went five shutout innings. This time, he retired the first 10 batters he faced, allowed just two hits and struck out four.
Criswell’s strong outing capped off an otherworldly first month for a Red Sox staff that has looked greatly improved under new pitching coach Andrew Bailey. Through 30 games, Red Sox starters have a 2.00 ERA and .211 opponent average. Through 30 games in 2023, they had a 6.01 ERA while opponents hit .277 against them. Boston’s team ERA is 2.59, the lowest in baseball and the lowest Sox mark through 30 games since 1920. Tuesday was the staff’s MLB-leading sixth shutout, eclipsing the team’s shutout total from a year ago (5).
“It’s insane when you sit down and look at the numbers,” Criswell said.
That the pitching staff has been so good — and so consistent — through almost five weeks was unexpected after a winter when the club watched as free agents Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shōta Imanaga, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery signed elsewhere while other teams acquired Tyler Glasnow, Dylan Cease and Corbin Burnes. But it’s something manager Alex Cora saw coming during spring training when the staff bought into a new pitching philosophy brought aboard by Bailey, director of pitching Justin Willard and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, himself a pitching savant.
“We expected to be consistent. I don’t know about the numbers,” Cora said. “I know that every single night, I feel very comfortable with where wer’e going to be pitching-wise. Obviously, the numbers, they speak for themselves. For me, and this is not because of what we did in April, I felt very comfortable in spring training. We pitched well in spring training. All the guys. I can’t recall somebody that struggled. It’s a testament of the program and it’s a testament of the guys putting the work.”
The performance of the rotation has done more than keep the Red Sox afloat throughout an opening stretch during which the club was bit harder by the injury bug than in any month in recent history. On the position side, the Sox lost shortstop Trevor Story for the year, first baseman Triston Casas “for a while” and were without third baseman Rafael Devers and outfielder Tyler O’Neill for stretches, too. The rotation hasn’t been close to full strength, either. After Lucas Giolito was lost to elbow surgery during camp, three of the five starters in the Opening Day rotation have hit the injured list since the home opener. Nick Pivetta (flexor strain) made just two starts with Garrett Whitlock (oblique) and Brayan Bello (lat) joining him on the sideline in recent weeks. All three are due back relatively soon.
Righties Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford have stayed healthy and have been utterly dominant so far this season, and the other three regular starters have pitched well, too. But the Red Sox have also won games pitched by fill-ins like Josh Winckowski and Criswell, who was the story of Tuesday night.
“This was the plan when we decided to go with the five guys,” Cora said. “At one point, he was going to be part of this. We know how it works. I’m pleased he’s here doing his thing and he’ll be ready for his next one.
“It’s a guy that can pitch. He has pitchability, throws strikes and can move the ball around. Not all the time is it 96-97 (mph). There’s certain guys that with the movement and where they go with their pitches, they keep hitters off balance. That’s what he does.”
Throughout the first 30 games of the season, Red Sox pitchers and coaches have raved about the togetherness of everyone involved in the pitching program. It’s more than a simple mantra of “throwing nasty stuff in the zone.” With Bailey’s guidance, pitchers have added new pitches and changed their attack plans. That doesn’t happen overnight. Catchers Reese McGuire and Connor Wong have been instrumental in game-planning and the buy-in level is high.
“Just truly going in and throwing any pitch in any count to keep hitters off-balance and be unpredictable,” Criswell said. “Obviously, I feel like that’s Bailey’s gameplan and he has gotten the best out of all of us so far.
“It all goes back to catchers calling a great game, Bails’ gameplan, all of us believing in it and attacking the gameplan.”
Preseason prognosticators would have had a hard time believing the Red Sox, even at full-strength, would finish April four games above .500. It would have been impossible to believe with Giolito, Story, Casas and other key contributors on the shelf. But the resilient Red Sox have trudged on and won ballgames, in no small part due to a staff that has greatly exceeded expectations.
“We’re playing good baseball,” Cora said. “It’s one month out of the season. We’ve still got a long ways. We’ve got to just keep continuing doing the things we’re preaching. We’re playing better defense, running the bases better. The offense is gonna be better. The pitching’s gonna be consistent.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 1, 2024 9:53:13 GMT -5
Red Sox roster dwindling due to injuries; any depth options in Worcester?
Updated: May. 01, 2024, 10:02 a.m.|Published: May. 01, 2024, 9:53 a.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — Who do the Red Sox have in the minors as depth options if the injuries continue to mount?
Boston has 13 players on the injured list, including three pitchers and two position players on the 60-day IL. Every healthy position player on the 40-man roster right now is on Boston’s active 26-man roster. There are no 40-man roster position players remaining in the minors.
Boston planned to activate Vaughn Grissom (hamstring strain) Tuesday but the second baseman has the flu. Grissom should return in the next few days but Boston might lose another position player to the IL. Masataka Yoshida, who jammed his hand Sunday, will undergo an MRI on Wednesday. He has already visited a hand specialist. Meanwhile, new trade addition Garrett Cooper left his first game with the Red Sox in the fifth inning Tuesday after Giants reliever Sean Hjelle hit him with a 94.8 mph fastball on the right wrist. But the Red Sox think they dodged a bullet and he’ll be OK.
There are only four 40-man roster pitchers — Vladimir Gutierrez, Bailey Horn, Wikelman Gonzalez and Luis Perales — who are healthy in the minors. Perales and Gonzalez are young prospects who are not ready to pitch in the major leagues. Boston acquired Horn, a lefty, from the White Sox for cash Tuesday. He has never pitched in the big leagues. Gutierrez has pitched in 33 big league games (30 starts).
Below are some non-roster options at Triple-A Worcester if the Red Sox run out of healthy players on the 40-man roster.
NON-ROSTER POSITION PLAYER OPTIONS
Infielder Chase Meidroth, a 22-year-old right-handed hitter has yet to hit for much power in pro ball with a .404 slugging percentage in 155 games (689 plate appearances) But he’s an on-base machine. He led all Red Sox minor leaguers with a .408 on-base percentage (minimum 300 plate appearances) last year. He has a .460 on-base percentage in 23 games (100 plate appearances) for Worcester this year. He has more walks (22) than strikeouts (10). But has just two extra base hits (one homer, one double).
“He was starting to heat up when I was there,” said Rob Refsnyder who saw Meidroth play while rehabbing with Worcester. “He’s got a really compact swing. I feel like he’s got a really great understanding of the strike zone. I was really impressed, honestly. He was playing a really good second base. I think he’s a solid ballplayer. He has a really good understanding of the strike zone. His mechanics are pretty sound. He’s got kind of a closed stance. Uses the opposite field well.”
Meidroth has started eight games at second base, eight games at shortstop and seven games at third this season.
Nick Sogard, 26-year-old switch-hitter, has a .365 on-base percentage. 18.6% strikeout percentage and 13.5% walk percentage in 201 games (807 plate appearances) at Worcester the past three years. He takes walks, keeps his strikeout rate down and makes the routine plays on defense.
He can play all around the field. He has made 10 starts at shortstop, five starts in right field, four starts at second base, three starts in left field and one start at third base. He hasn’t made an error in 28 total chances at shortstop this season. He’s typically a better hitter against lefties but he’s been better vs. righties this season.
Another depth piece is Eddy Alvarez, a 34-year-old infielder who the Red Sox signed to a minor league contract last July and invited to big league spring training camp as a non-roster invitee.
He appeared in 50 major league games from 2020-22 with the Marlins and Dodgers. He’s batting .254 with a .347 on-base percentage, .476 slugging percentage, .823 OPS, three homers, five doubles, 13 RBIs, 10 runs, seven walks and 23 strikeouts in 21 games (76 plate appearances) for the WooSox so far this season.
He’s also versatile. He has made five starts at second base, five starts in right field, four starts at third base, three starts at shortstop and one start in left field.
The Red Sox are introducing first base to 24-year-old catcher Nathan Hickey. He has made three starts there recently. Boston drafted the left-handed hitter in the fifth round in 2021 out of Florida. He has a .258/.380/.484/.864 line in 208 minor league games (729 plate appearances).
Niko Kavadas, a 25-year-old first baseman, is batting .293 with a .468 on-base percentage, .655 slugging percentage, 1.123 OPS, five homers, six doubles, 14 RBIs, 18 runs, 16 walks and 22 strikeouts in 21 games for Worcester. But he has trouble making contact and big league pitching could expose him. He has a career 317.% strikeout percentage and a 27.8% strikeout percentage this season.
Mark Kolozsvary is the top catching depth option if anything were to happen to Connor Wong or Reese McGuire. Catcher Tyler Heineman, who is on the 40-man roster, is on the IL with a left hamstring strain.
WooSox outfielder/infielder Dalton Guthrie, 28, appeared in 37 games for the Phillies in 2022-23.
NON-ROSTER PITCHING OPTIONS
Lefty relievers Jorge Benitez and Brendan Cellucci are two interesting options.
The Red Sox are down to just three healthy left-handed relievers, Brennan Bernardino, Cam Booser and Bailey Horn, on the 40-man roster. Walter is on Worcester’s IL with a rotator cuff strain. Lefty reliever Chris Murphy is on the 60-day IL (and out for the season) after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Red Sox designated southpaw Joely Rodriguez for assignment Sunday. The Diamondbacks claimed lefty Joe Jacques off waivers from Boston last week. As mentioned above, Boston acquired Horn (who has no major league experience) from the White Sox on Tuesday. He’s the only lefty in the minors who is on the 40-man roster.
Benitez, 24, allowed two runs in his first 13 innings (seven outings) but he gave up three earned runs while recording just two outs Sunday against Toledo. Opponents have batted .163 against him and he’s averaging 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings. But he has walked 10 batters (6.6 walks per nine innings). He walked two batters when he struggled Sunday.
His two-seam fastball has been in the 92-95 mph range this season. He also throws a slider, changeup and cutter from a low three-quarters arm slot.
The 25-year-old Cellucci has a 2.89 ERA (9 ⅓ innings, three runs) and 12 strikeouts in five relief outings so far for Double-A Portland and Worcester. Opponents are batting .219 against him but he’s allowed six walks.
This past offseason, Baseball America named Cellucci as someone the Red Sox might lose in the December Rule 5 Draft. He wasn’t selected but Baseball America wrote prior to the draft, “Cellucci has some unusual characteristics that could catch the attention of an analytically-minded team.” His best pitch is his slider and he also adds a sinker and cutter. BA wrote, “Cellucci’s cutter generates a 40% whiff rate and a 23% in-zone whiff rate. ... The sinker performed particularly well on contact with a .260 wOBAcon this season. While Cellucci might not look like your typical reliever, his combination of two pitches that miss bats and a sinker that can mitigate hard contact could make him a viable option out of the bullpen for a major league team next season.”
Lefty reliever Melvin Adón reached 101 mph on the radar gun for Worcester against Toledo on Saturday. He threw three fastballs over 100 mph and 13 pitches over 99 mph. But lack of command/control is a major issue and he needs to throw more strikes before being ready to pitch in the big leagues.
Righties Jason Alexander (71 ⅔ innings in the majors) and Sal Romano (275 ⅓ innings in the majors) and lefty Lucas Luetge (232 ⅓ innings in the majors) all are on Worcester’s pitching staff.
Hard-throwing prospect Luis Guerrero has allowed just two runs and struck out 13 in 9 ⅔ innings (1.86 ERA). Opponents are batting just .147 against him but he has some command issues (five walks).
Righty Richard Fitts, who the Red Sox acquired in the Alex Verdugo trade from the Yankees, retired 17 straight batters in a start for Worcester against Lehigh Valley on Tuesday. But the Red Sox aren’t going to rush him.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 1, 2024 11:16:10 GMT -5
Red Sox conducting external audit as baseball boss Craig Breslow considers changes By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated May 1, 2024, 1 hour ago
When Craig Breslow was hired by the Red Sox just over six months ago, he wasn’t charged simply with improving the team. As chief baseball officer, he oversees the entire baseball operations department — hundreds of front-office members responsible not just for short-term results but the long-term health of the team, everything from player development and the draft to analysts and members of the medical and sports science departments.
With that in mind, the Red Sox have hired the Sportsology Group to conduct an audit of the organization and offer recommendations to Breslow about potential changes.
“We are using an outside consulting firm to help me wrap my arms around this operation,” said Breslow. “It’s big. It’s grown a ton in the last three or four years. And with that comes the need to understand: Who are our people? What work are they doing? Is it impacting our on-field outcomes in a meaningful way? Do we have inefficiency and redundancy or are we operating in a really efficient and effective manner?
“I think we are capable of doing that work ourselves. It would just happen on a time horizon that we can’t tolerate here. Relying on expertise that is unbiased and impartial and has a ton of experience in doing these types of things is, I think, the best way to accelerate that timeline.”
By his own admission, Breslow is a “systems-builder first,” someone trying to create a decision-making environment and process to impact not just one player but many. He believes overarching organizational structure will determine whether the big league team endures the sort of roller-coaster performance that has characterized the past 12 years (two World Series and five playoff appearances, six last-place finishes) or more consistent success.
“I think the development of sound systems and efficient processes is the difference between boom or bust cycles — which will have a run of success at times — and long-term organizational health,” said Breslow. “Very rarely are organizations successful because they get a single big decision right. They’re successful because they get a number of marginal or incremental decisions right. And I think a sound, efficient infrastructure is what allows that.”
In that pursuit, he is trying to get a feel for how the Red Sox have been running, how they are now running, and whether the objectives and key performance indicators are in synch with his desired structure. Related: Minor Details: Nick Yorke could be in line for a promotion to Triple A
Team officials dove into infrastructure questions as soon as Breslow was hired, particularly the pitching program. However, there are corners Breslow wants to understand more thoroughly, and the rhythm of the season, particularly as it pertains to the big league roster, makes it difficult to tackle an internal audit.
“In-season, there’s a certain amount of crisis response that pops up,” said Breslow. “In a lot of ways, we’re kind of playing Whack-a-Mole. That can distract from the bigger-picture structural organizational attention. The thought here is that if I can articulate and lay out the vision that I have for a front office, then I can employ an unbiased executor to help achieve that.”
Breslow said the audit started in the last few weeks, and that he requested it. Sportsology is a New York- and London-based consulting firm that has advised a number of professional teams in the US and abroad. Clients identified on its website include the 49ers, Rams, and Eagles in the NFL, the Mavericks and Wizards in the NBA, and Inter Miami, Cincinnati FC, the Chicago Fire, and LAFC in MLS.
“This is a unique industry, so I think a management/leadership/consulting group that has experience working in sports was attractive,” said Breslow. “They’ve worked across all sports, so it’s not just skewed or biased toward baseball. I think they can help us establish best practices.”
The arrival of Theo Epstein as an FSG senior adviser provided Breslow with a trusted source of counsel who is more than a decade removed from his original Red Sox tenure. The hiring of Driveline founder Kyle Boddy as a special adviser has likewise brought in someone who can offer perspective on Red Sox systems and programs.
Breslow himself represents the organization’s interest in bringing in outside perspectives as it tries to move beyond the disappointing recent seasons. He was empowered to change the baseball operations department as he sees fit. Related: Theo Epstein talks about his new role with Fenway Sports Group and the Red Sox
But while he remains open to changes while trying to strike a balance between preserving institutional wisdom, building on existing strengths, and introducing new people and ideas from outside, he believed an evaluation of current practices made sense.
“Candidly, I can’t be afraid to upset the apple cart if that’s what’s required, but I don’t want to upset the apple cart for the sake of upsetting the apple cart,” Breslow said. “I need to be intentional and deliberate around the change I intend to implement.”
Breslow recognizes that change — whether it’s an external audit or his own hiring — can be unsettling given that it raises questions about roles or even employees’ futures with the Red Sox. He sees the external audit as a way of getting beyond that transitional discomfort as quickly as possible and expediting those decisions about organizational structure and members of the front office so that the Red Sox can arrive at a more settled state.
“I’m new here, so there is uncertainty and a certain level of unsettling that I’m going to bring,” said Breslow. “I’m not looking to compound those sentiments, and that’s why I think it’s important to get this done early so that we can understand where we’re going, start to act on that, and then ensure that where we land gives people some sense of certainty and stability, as opposed to having an exercise that drags out for months and months or even years.”
As the audit proceeds, Breslow said the work he’s doing in his first season has been both consuming and rewarding. The team’s on-field performance (17-13 at the end of April despite many injuries) has been encouraging.
“It’s all of the things that I thought it would be,” he said. “It’s challenging. It’s exhilarating. It’s gratifying. I enjoy coming to work every day. I enjoy the challenges that are in front of us.
“I think when we have this efficient, effective baseball operation and we’re putting a competitive team on the field every season — one that vies for the postseason and deep postseason runs — it’s all going to be unbelievably rewarding and worthwhile.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 1, 2024 11:16:58 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe High-paid consultant: "So let me get this straight, you decided to trade Mookie Betts?"
Red Sox: "That's right. We didn't think he was worth a huge contract. We also fired the GM who put together the 108-win championship team."
High-paid consultant: "I think we're done here." 12:09 PM · May 1, 2024 · 29.4K Views
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